Brev. Brig. Gen'l

Have had this forever, from LoC description the winter quarters of 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry. It states Fort Burnham, Virginia. These have been incorrect in the past although I do not have the sheer history to disbelieve it.

Love saving these even more since reading " The 6th United States Cavalry in the Civil War: A History and Roster ", Don Caughey's excellent book. My grgrgrandfather- an honestly close family tie through Dad and I'm unashamedly crazy about him and his cavalry service, was in the 6th. Caughey draws the best word picture of a cavalry camp I've bumped into hence this habitual file filled with era photos.

Fooling around fascinated as ever with moments in Time- this was Oct. 4, 1864. What had been a ' cavalry camp photo ' resolved itself into a diorama of sorts, if 2-D. Mounded earth, troopers drawn up in ranks, somber onlookers. The photographer had captured a trooper's burial, or two. Checking this link ( of course researched down to the buffalo's beard on the back of a nickel by Eric Wittenberg ), this man may be one of the troopers beneath Virginia soil, now immortalized.

Somber watchers who knew him- or all of those being committed to earth, sky and God.

From behind the scene, still watchful.

John B. Coover Killed by guerrillas near Halltown, Va. on September 27, 1864

Here is a site describing someone named John Coover as surgeon, killed while with the 6th PA Cavalry. His photo from the Google search portion of the internet. Interesting. God bless, nameless grave or not, somewhere in Virginia.

Brev. Brig. Gen'l

Ha! So funny but thanks Reading- more like a Civil War nosy pants. Camp photos are just so interesting! Usually a lot going on, you know? Seeing a burial along with a date, couldn't help but hope it was possible to identify who had been killed in action- or I suppose died of disease? The date is very close to when this man was killed by guerilla action- by the time he was brought in from where the attack occurred ( wagon and team right next to burial site ) it stands to reason a few days elapsed.

Quite a few troopers are listed as not having any information on them at all- always possible it's one of these and the information slipped away into Time.

Captain

Have had this forever, from LoC description the winter quarters of 5th Pennsylvania Cavalry. It states Fort Burnham, Virginia. These have been incorrect in the past although I do not have the sheer history to disbelieve it.

Fooling around fascinated as ever with moments in Time- this was Oct. 4, 1864. What had been a ' cavalry camp photo ' resolved itself into a diorama of sorts, if 2-D. Mounded earth, troopers drawn up in ranks, somber onlookers. The photographer had captured a trooper's burial, or two. Checking this link ( of course researched down to the buffalo's beard on the back of a nickel by Eric Wittenberg ), this man may be one of the troopers beneath Virginia soil, now immortalized.View attachment 114718View attachment 114723

Here is a site describing someone named John Coover as surgeon, killed while with the 6th PA Cavalry. His photo from the Google search portion of the internet. Interesting. God bless, nameless grave or not, somewhere in Virginia.View attachment 114725

What a dreadfully hazardous duty it must have been. Guessing skirmishes happened on a regular basis- sometimes seems amazing between battle and disease any of us have Civil War ancestors. Thanks for finding Trooper Sage- it's always at least good to think there's a photo. So often there doesn't seem to be one.

Brev. Brig. Gen'l

That was kind of you, Donna. Oh well, in this case it just seemed a little wrong to see graves and not make a little effort to see whose they may be. So many lost, North and South.

Someone sent us an email in fact, helping bring a 150 year old grave site home to our family. It was crazy. We knew he died at Goose Creek, Va. Someone was browsing collections at Gettysburg College and came across a hand drawn map showing where he was buried. She got it into her head to go home, get on Ancestry and try to find his family. She did- it was me.

I still haven't had the time to pay attention to her lovely gesture- as soon as dust settles here somewhat believe me, I intend to. Need to get to Goose Creek for one thing, to Gettysburg College for another- and make sure this lovely woman is thanked for giving us a lost grave. Crazy, right?

Brigadier General

Looking at all the pictures it seems odd that the graves would be where they are. Looks rather random and a place that would not be marked when the camp was abandoned. I suppose a lotta CW burials were like that though.

Sergeant

JPK Hudson 1863, it is not crazy to want to thank someone who did you and your family a great big favor. I don't have any CW ancestors-no one from either side of my family was here then. I am envious of people like you who have those ancestors.

Sergeant Major

Looking at all the pictures it seems odd that the graves would be where they are. Looks rather random and a place that would not be marked when the camp was abandoned. I suppose a lotta CW burials were like that though.

For this reason I'm not convinced this is a troopers burial. Right in the middle of camp where the graves would be walked over? Casual attitudes and poses from onlookers? Randomly placed? No marker? They might just be mounds, nothing buried there at all.

Cadet

Just saw this Annie, thanks for the kind words. Jimmy and I put a lot of time and effort into it, always nice to know that someone enjoyed it or found it useful. I'm in the final stages of research for my book on the 2nd U.S. Cavalry, so hopefully you'll have more to read soon.
Best,
Don

Sergeant

For this reason I'm not convinced this is a troopers burial. Right in the middle of camp where the graves would be walked over? Casual attitudes and poses from onlookers? Randomly placed? No marker? They might just be mounds, nothing buried there at all.

Why call troops to attention over manure? Besides, little unlikely, in an ordered cavalry camp, individual and small muck heaps would be allowed to be deposited at random. I'm not being argumentative- there would have been some designated ( large ) spot.

Sergeant

Why call troops to attention over manure? Besides, little unlikely, in an ordered cavalry camp, individual and small muck heaps would be allowed to be deposited at random. I'm not being argumentative- there would have been some designated ( large ) spot.